Twinkling lights and Mistletoe

Deborah

"Go often to the house of a friend; for weeds soon choke up the unused path." Swedish Proverb

Another one of my favorite sayings. But, wow, life gets so busy it isn't always easy to live this beautiful thought.

Six days in, I finally finished putting up the Christmas decorations today. Please tell me I'm not the only one that makes it a process? I finished deep cleaning the shelves above my kitchen cabinets at 10:30 tonight and put my last bit of greenery in place above my kitchen window and sink at 11:00. The mistletoe is even hung.

The house is lovely!! Twilnkling, soft lights everywhere, greenery and berries and heirloom baubles....Decorations from five generations in our family. We called my grandma the Christmas Guru. Maybe not to her personally, but among ourselves. She made the holidays amazing just in and of herself. The decorations, the cookies and other sweets, the presents, the ambiance of a house full to overflowing with family and love and giving. So, of course, following in my grandma's footsteps, I love all things Christmas. I also love decorating, but I am glad to put the last empty bin back in the basement, and just sit back and enjoy the fruits of our labour with the rest of my family.

I will try to tell a little about each one of my kiddos in the next few posts. We have five wonderful children whom we have always homeschooled. I wanted five children since I was a little girl, and thankfully God gave us just that. My husband, David, jokes and says I have a direct line with God. When I told him that I really wanted one more, he said "No...And don't pray for it either." Now that's faith! :o)

We have two girls and three boys. Our first, Ashley, is 21 and married to Nathan. They have a sweet little one, our first grandbaby, Madison Elaine. Next comes Joshua, who will be eighteen on Thursday. Then Candice who is fifteen almost sixteen. Next, Robert who is fourteen, and lastly our "baby" Dustin who is twelve. Besides my husband, my children are my greatest joy and pleasure in life. I love each one of them dearly and truly count them as the blessings of answered prayers. They are all such terrific kiddos. We couldn't ask for better.

I hope you are enjoying the holidays with your family and friends. If you are rushing around shopping, decorating, wrapping, baking...take time to stop and count your blessings. Take time to kiss your hubby, to hug your kids, to call your friends, to sit down and put up your feet and sip a mug of hot chocloate. Life is too short and it is too easy to neglect family and friends and self...the very ones we're trying to make the holidays so special for. Don't get so busy that you let weeds choke the paths.